Baserunning

Maybe this will help get things started. I don't want to get into a p-ing match with anyone so save your comments cynics.This weekend at a juco tourney us coaches got involved in a discussion on delays and the proper footwork involved to help sell the delayed steal, some of us were saying 2 shuffles, some were saying 3 shuffles crossover and go. I think a lot depends on the pitcher you're facing and whether or not he is glide stepping you.We also did a few studies with the stop watch to try and tell which is the better approach.With the 3 shuffles we obviously gained more ground and with only 2 it kind of looked more like a straight steal.

2diamonds,

IMO

Rule #1 - Run like a wild dog.

Or how bout this one- run like the devils chasing ya!

2D, I'm taking notes. Go ahead and post drills, notes, or whatever as I try to include baserunning in our practices as much as possible. It's tough to get in as much as I'd like with limited practice time though - which I think is a common problem for most youth teams.

Don't most solid catchers who play heads up look to the runner at first before tossing the ball back to the pitcher?

My experience has been that more times than not it is the middle infielders that are fooled by the delay and are late covering. As for the technique for executing the delayed steal, 2 or 3 shuffles and go, I don't know. I checked the Polk BB Playbook and found no reference.

Always put left leg behind right leg when stepping off the bag.
Never in front of right leg!!
Your always facing the bag that way.
Able to dive back on a quik throw over.

Flintoide is right on here. The delayed steal is not designed to catch the catcher off guard its designed to catch the mif off guard. Most of the time the throw beats the runner but it also beats the mif to the bag as well. Or the catcher sees no one at the bag and holds the ball. Or the catcher hesitates on the throw waiting for a mif to get there. In in any case it is effective because the mif are not aware of a steal and by the time they are it can be too late. And you guys know the catcher is always into the game and looking for this kind of stuff. Its those slick cool mif's that you can fool!

Yes, you are looking to sorprise the middle infielders, when you are late stealing, but the best time to start to run is at the time that the catcher is starting the move to throw the ball back to the pitcher. You are looking the catcher to hesitate, and after that, wait for the infielders to cover the base. Anyways, the % of success is not as high as the straight steal.

Yep Coach May you are very correct. We typically watch the mif to see if they are squeezing and if not here we go.Also a catcher who likes to frame pitches and hold them there.We also try and get and keep our kids aggressive in the sense of moving up on balls in the dirt, moving upon breaking balls.If you have a team or catcher that is not too wise w/the signs*some catchers like to give 3 signs when there is a guy on 2nd*,and it's usually the middle sign.If our runners pick those signs, we're moving up on the breaking ball.You'd be surprised how many coaches don't even realize they're being delayed.